Ross man charged with stealing $190,000 from aged aunt with dementia

A Ross man will be arraigned Friday on charges he embezzled more than $190,000 from a centenarian aunt who had dementia.

Kenneth Joseph Soldavini, a 64-year-old painting contractor, is charged with felony counts of residential burglary and theft or embezzlement from an elder or dependent adult. The prosecution also filed penalty enhancements for white-collar crimes.

Soldavini turned himself in at the county jail Wednesday afternoon to be booked on an arrest warrant obtained by the Marin County District Attorney's Office. Bail was set at $150,000, and he was released after posting a bond.

Authorities said the alleged crimes occurred between 2009 and 2012, when the victim, Idella Massara, was between 98 and 101 years old. Massara, a former Ross resident who lived next door to Soldavini, moved to a San Rafael care home in 2005 and was diagnosed with dementia in 2009. She died in recent months while the investigation was still in progress.

Beginning with a check for $9,800, Soldavini wrote 14 checks from Massara's account, according to an affidavit by Deputy District Attorney Thomas McCallister. The checks, which bore Massara's signature, were for a combined $130,800.

Soldavini also stole another $60,103.97 by obtaining Massara's signature on documents to redeem certificates of deposit and transfer the money to him, McCallister alleged.

When Ross police Officer Joshua Schulman interviewed Soldavini last March, he "acknowledged that he was aware of the victim's compromised mental capacity and conceded that what he had done was wrong," McCallister said.

Ross police eventually referred the case to the district attorney's office, which filed charges last week after its own review.

Soldavini, called for comment Thursday, referred questions to his defense attorney, Charles Dresow. Dresow, in an emailed statement, said:

"In March of 2013 Mr. Soldavini was interviewed by the Ross Police who raised questions regarding the alleged victim's ability to manage her financial affairs. When made aware of these questions Mr. Soldavini immediately and voluntarily provided $70,000 to the Ross Police Department which was returned to the alleged victim.

"Mr. Soldavini loved his Aunt dearly. Mr. Soldavini maintained his Aunt's house while she was in a nursing home, took her to medical appointments, helped make sure that her bills were paid, and provided her with love and companionship through her final years."